Resource fair in El Monte hopes to help reintegrate former inmates

While AB109 works to reduce overcrowding in state prisons by diverting low-level offenders and parole violators to serve their sentences in county jails, the San Gabriel Valley ReEntry Collaborative is working toward other, permanent solutions.

“When these inmates are released, one of two things happen,” said collaborative member Andrew Quinones, and special programs director at the San Gabriel Valley Conservation Corps. “They could continue in a negative path, or they could get help and reduce violence, reduce incarceration.”

The collaborative held its first ReEntry Resource Fair Thursday at First United Methodist Church in El Monte with vendors offering everything from housing assistance and mental health services to job and drug abuse assistance to help anyone who has been incarcerated and their families to reintegrate into the community.

George Arnott of Monrovia said he has had difficulty finding work since being released in March and without his mother’s assistance, life after release would have been tougher.

“I received some knowledge on job relations and mental health services,” said Arnott.

He plans to take advantage of as many services and programs available to him as he can, he said.

“(I want him to know) that he’s not alone,” said Arnott’s mother Vicky Saldana. “And that he’s worth it.”

Several vendor representatives at the fair also served as examples of the possibilities of rehabilitation, since many have walked down the same path.

Norma Jean Scott, a medical bill coding specialist at Bill Moore Clinic and partner with the Pasadena Altadena Community Team (PACT), was in and out of jail and a drug addict and alcoholic for three decades.

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Now eight years sober, she says the collaborative effort of the community helped her.

“That’s what really works,” she said. “It wasn’t an easy road. It just took a little bit of hope.”

Scott started out at a drug treatment program for women called Choices in Pasadena and then moved on to a transitional living home, Casa Maria. She eventually went to school and now works collaboratively with all the programs that helped her.

“I do outreach, that’s my passion,” she said. “There’s so much opportunity now, it’s just that people don’t know about it.”

By looking at some of the vendors at the fair — Volunteers of America, Professional Tutors of America, El Monte City School District Child Development Program — one may wonder how their services can help.

But each has its own connection to help former inmates, their families and their community.

Professional Tutors of America offer education for all ages and can help find grants for those who can’t afford it. The El Monte City School District’s Head Start program is open to young children as a full time daycare and educational program and free for families who qualify, with or without a criminal record.

“You get used to being locked up for months at a time; that’s easy,” said Herman Aviles, director of California Drug Counseling, who was also a former inmate. “Coming out here is the challenge. In 1989, I decided I’m going to do something different. I want to give back.”

Quinones hopes to have more vendors and community collaboration for future fairs, as well as offer health screenings in the future.

The collaborative plans to have these resource fairs quarterly. They also meet the first Tuesday of the month at Longo Toyota-Scion-Lexus Community Room at 3534 N. Peck Road in El Monte. Meetings are open to any community members that can offer services and are willing to help the former inmate population. For more information about the meetings, call 626-579-2484.